Tinkering is a critical concept for teachers. It is part of problem solving, so it is good for the brain. It leads to a sense of satisfaction for having figured out how to do something. It makes a limited set of materials into something potentially unlimited. it keeps us away from excessive consumerism and the belief that if Walmart doesn't sell it, then I can't have it.
One of the first videos we found was Gever Tulley's Five Dangerous Things You Should Let Your Children Do:
One of the first videos we found was Gever Tulley's Five Dangerous Things You Should Let Your Children Do:
Here is a comic on Tulley's Tinkering School
http://storage.ted.com/tinker/Comic.pdf
One of our favorite websites for tinkering is:
http://instructables.com
Here are a couple of other tinkering-related things.
Build your own roller coaster:
http://kaboom.org/blog/build_roller_coaster_your_kids_or_better_yet_your_kids?utm_source=082112&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=eblast
Cardboard Box video:
http://vimeo.com/25239728